Bag holder

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a simple means to allow a user to carry a bag without injuring his hands. This apparatus provides a safe means to carry a bag because it has a flexible portion for human fingers to grasp and it has secured ends to keep the bag in place while it is being carried.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a bag holder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, when people shop and buy groceries, clothing or other itemsthey carry their bought items in shopping bags. When they carry theseitems in the shopping bags sometimes the bag may be heavy and may becumbersome to carry. In addition, when the person carries the bags hemay injure his hands.

Some devices were developed to assist the person with holding shoppingbags such as a plastic suspension device, but these devices were alsocumbersome to use because they did not allow a person to comfortablyhold the device and carry the bag. Also, other devices were developed toassist the person with carrying shopping bags, but these devices did notallow a person to comfortably carry the device and the bag.

Therefore, there is a need for a simple device that allows a user tocomfortably transport items in a bag from one place to another.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished in view of theabove-mentioned technical background, and it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a bag holder that enables the user to simply andeasily hold a bag.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention an apparatus for holding abag is disclosed. The apparatus includes a handle member having a bottomportion, a hollow portion, a base and a top curved surface. An openingis formed in between the top curved surface and the base, where theopening is configured to receive a handle of a bag. The opening definesa hollow portion, where the handle of the bag is retained in the hollowportion. The bottom portion is disposed below the hollow portion,wherein the bottom portion is configured to be grasped by human fingers.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for a bagholder is disclosed. A handle member has a bottom portion, a hollowportion, a base and a top curved surface. The top curved surface isconfigured to encompass the base. An opening is formed in between thetop curved surface and the base, where the opening is configured toreceive a handle of a bag. The opening defines a hollow portion, wherethe handle of the bag is retained in the hollow portion. The bottomportion is disposed below the hollow portion, where the bottom portionis configured to be grasped by human fingers.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a method forholding a bag is disclosed. A handle member is provided. The handle of abag is inserted into an opening in between a base and a top curvedsurface of a handle member. The handle of the bag is secured in theopening and the handle of the bag is retained in the handle member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent as the following description is read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a bag holder in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 1B depicts another bag holder in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 depicts the bag holder of FIG. 1 with a bag attached to the bagholder in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart that shows how the bag holder is utilized inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The presently preferred embodiments of the invention are described withreferences to the drawings, where like components are identified withthe same numerals. The descriptions of the preferred embodiments areexemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1A shows a bag holder. This bag holder 101 includes: a top portion103, bottom portion 105, a hollow portion 107 and a base 109. Bag holder101 may be made of any durable material known to those of ordinary skillin the art, such as plastic, aluminum, copper or stainless steel. Forthis embodiment, bag holder 101 has a cylindrical or tube-like shape, orit may have a rectangular shape. The bag holder 101 may have any shapeand the bag holder 101 may be referred to as a handle member. Also, thetop portion 103 has a curved top portion, which turns inward towards thehollow portion 107 and inward towards the base 109. Referring to FIG.1B, the top curved surface portion 103 encompasses the base 109, wherethe top curved surface portion 103 overlaps the base 109. For thishandle member 101, the bag 201 (FIG. 2) is inserted under the top curvedsurface portion 103 into an opening 107 a and into the hollow portion107. Referring to FIG. 1B, the bag 201 (FIG. 2) may be inserted underthe top curved surface portion 103 into the opening 107 a into thehollow portion 107. At FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, hollow portion 107 includesthe opening 107 a with slits or ends 107 b and 107 c for the carryingloops for a bag 201 (FIG. 2) to be inserted into through the opening 107a into the hollow portion 107 of the bag holder 101. Ends 107 b and 107c are indentations or slits located on side portions of a bottom portionof base 109, which secures the bag 201 in the hollow portion 107 of thehandle member 101. The term bag referred to in this invention refers toa plastic bag (used in a supermarket), shopping bag or any type of bagcapable of being inserted into the opening 107 a of the hollow portion107 of the bag holder 101. Also carrying loop 201 a for bag 201 may bereferred to as a handle.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the carrying loops 201 a and 201 b of the bag201 is inserted into the opening 107 a (FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B) and hollowportion 107, then the base 109 or the top curved surface 103 may beutilized to secure the bag 201 to the hollow portion 107. At FIG. 1A andFIG. 1B, the base 109 has a flexible first end 109 a and a flexiblesecond end 109 b that may be turned inward or outward to secure the bag201 in the hollow portion 107 so it does not move while a person isutilizing the handle member 101 to carry the bag 201. Also, the topcurved surface 103 includes a flexible first end 103 a and a flexiblesecond end 103 b that may be turned inward or outward to secure the bag201 in the hollow portion 107 so it does not move while a person isutilizing the handle member 101 to carry bag 201. Next to the hollowportion 107 is the bottom portion 105. This bottom portion 105 includesfinger undulations 105 a, which are spaced for the fingers of an averagehuman adult. The finger undulations 105 a of the bottom portion 105allow a person to easily grasp the bag holder 101 by the fingers of ahuman hand. Finger undulations 105 a may be made of any flexiblematerial known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as plastic,rubber, synthetic rubber, neoprene, foamed polymer or non-foamedpolymer.

FIG. 2 depicts a bag being held by the bag holder of FIG. 1A Thisembodiment includes the same components as described in FIG. 1A so adescription of these components will not be disclosed herein. In thisembodiment, a typical bag 201 is being held in the opening 107 a andretained in the hollow portion 107 of the handle member 101. Whencarrying loop 201 a of the bag 201 is inserted into the opening 107 a ofthe handle member 101 the bag 201 will be held in the hollow portion 107of the bag holder 101. Carrying loop 201 a is a typical shopping bagend, loop or handle associated with a typical shopping bag where thecarrying loop is utilized to hold and carry the shopping bag from oneplace to another. In another embodiment, carrying loop 201 a may also be2 or more carrying loops associated with a typical shopping bag. The bag201 is secured in the bag holder 101 by the flexible first end 109 aand/or the flexible second end 109 b of base 109 when first end 109 aand/or second end 109 b is turned inward or outward. Also, the bag 201may be secured in the hollow portion 107 when the first end 103 a and/orthe second end 103 b of top curved surface portion 103 are turned inwardor outward.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart that shows how the bag holder is utilized. Atblock 301, a bag holder 101 (FIG. 1A or FIG. 1B) is provided. Next, atblock 303 a person inserts the carrying loops 201 a and 201 b of the bag201 into the opening 107 a of the hollow portion 107 of the bag holder101 (FIG. 2). When the bag is inserted inside the opening 107 a, then aperson secures the carrying loops 201 a and 201 b of the bag 201, atblock 305. The bag 201 is retained by the hollow portion 107 and securedto the bag holder 101 by ends 107 b and 107 c. In another embodiment,the bag 201 is secured in the hollow portion 107 by bending the flexiblefirst end 109 a and/or flexible second end 109 b of the base 109 inwardor outward. In yet another embodiment, the person may bend the flexiblefirst end 103 a and/or flexible second end 103 b of the top curvedsurface portion 103 inward or outward to secure the carrying loops 201 aand 201 b of the bag 201 to the hollow portion 107. The person is ableto securely carry the bag 201 from one place to another.

After the person has finished carrying the bag 201 (FIG. 2) to adesignated area, then at block 307 he may release the bag by physicallyremoving the carrying handles of the bag 201. The carrying loops 201 aand 201 b is released from ends 101 a and 101 b to release the bag 201.In another embodiment, the bag is released from the bag holder 101 bystraightening the flexible first end 109 and/or flexible second end 109inward and/or outward. If at anytime the person releases the bag holder101, then the bag 201 will be remained secured in the hollow portion 107of the bag holder 201 until the person physically removes the bag 201from the bag holder 101. In yet another embodiment, the person mayremove the carrying loops 201 a and 201 b of the bag 201 bystraightening the flexible first end 103 a and/or flexible second end103 b inward and/or outward. Next, the person must decide if he wants tocontinue using the bag holder 101 (FIG. 2) at block 309, if he wants tocontinue using the bag holder 101 then the process goes to block 303. Ifthe person decides to stop using the bag holder 101, then he simply putsthe bag holder 101 down and the process ends until he decides to use itagain.

This invention provides a simple means to allow a user to carry a bagwithout injuring his hands. This apparatus provides a safe means tocarry a bag because it has a flexible portion for human fingers to graspand it has secured ends to keep the bag in place while it is beingcarried.

It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded asillustrative rather than limiting and that it be understood that it isthe following claims, including all equivalents, which are intended todefine the scope of the invention.

1. An apparatus comprising: a handle member having a bottom portion, ahollow portion, a base and a top curved surface; an opening is locatedin between the top curved surface and the base, wherein the opening isconfigured to receive a handle of a bag; the opening defines a hollowportion, wherein the handle of the bag is retained in the hollowportion; and the bottom portion is disposed below the hollow portion,wherein the bottom portion is configured to be grasped by human fingers.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion of the handlemember is made of a flexible rubber.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the bag is a plastic bag.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe base has a first end and a second end.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4,wherein the second end of the base is turned inward to secure the bag inthe hollow portion.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first endof the base is turned inward to secure the bag in the hollow portion. 7.The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second end of the base is turnedoutward to secure the bag in the hollow portion.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the first end of the base is turned outward to securethe bag in the hollow portion.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thetop curved surface has a first end and a second end.
 10. The apparatusof claim 9, wherein the second end of the top curved surface is turnedinward to secure the bag in the hollow portion.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the first end of the top curved surface is turnedinward to secure the bag in the hollow portion.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the second end of the top curved surface is turnedoutward to secure the bag in the hollow portion.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the first end of the top curved surface is turnedoutward to secure the bag in the hollow portion.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the handle member has a cylindrical shape.
 15. Anapparatus comprising: a handle member having a bottom portion, a hollowportion, a base and a top curved surface; wherein the top curved surfaceis configured to encompass the base; an opening is formed in between thetop curved surface and the base, wherein the opening is configured toreceive a handle of a bag; the opening defines a hollow portion, whereinthe handle of the bag is retained in the hollow portion; and the bottomportion is disposed below the hollow portion, wherein the bottom portionis configured to be grasped by human fingers.
 16. A method for carryingbags comprising: providing a handle member; inserting a handle of a baginto an opening in between a base and a top curved surface of a handlemember; securing the handle of the bag in the opening; and retaining thehandle of the bag in the handle member.
 17. The method of claim 16,wherein the opening defines a hollow portion.
 18. The method of claim17, wherein the hollow portion holds the handle of the bag.